


Tea and...Something

by mydeira



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-15
Updated: 2012-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-29 15:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydeira/pseuds/mydeira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years after "Children of Earth" Alice gets a visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea and...Something

Alice fumbled with the lock on her front door, purse and groceries precariously balanced in her other hand.  Setting the items down was an option, but then she’d just have to pick them up again.  Just as she slid the key home, the door opened and nearly sent her sprawling.  Stable again, she found herself face to face with someone she hadn’t seen in over two years.  Not since…

“Johnson,” Alice said as calmly as she could manage, “what are you doing in my home?”

The woman, unreadable as ever, grabbed a couple of the bags, turned, and headed into the kitchen.  She was busy shelving the items by the time Alice joined her.  “An old…associate of your father’s is on planet.  Based on his previous visit, Gwen thought it best not to take any chances.”

Both the government and Torchwood had given Alice the option of going back into deep cover.  Still too devastated by Steven’s death at the time, she had told representatives from the organizations to bugger off and leave her be.  Dad had showed her exactly where she fit in the grand scheme of things and frankly she had nothing left to lose.  In spite of her decision, she was well aware than she hadn’t been entirely abandoned in the interim.

“Didn’t trust your soldiers this time?”

Johnson glanced over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised slightly before she lowered it and nodded.  “Of course you noticed them.”  Then she moved on to the next cupboard.  Alice knew she should be upset that Johnson knew her way around so well, but it wasn’t worth the effort.

Instead Alice said, “I was planning on making tea.”

“I’ll be out of your way soon.”

“I was going to ask if you wanted some as well.”

Johnson paused for a moment.  “All right.”

Alice decided to take that for a yes and went about preparing things.  While she wasn’t keen to even admit it to herself, there was something almost comfortable in the silence between them.

When Alice finished, she found Johnson seated at the table, ramrod straight and looking uncomfortable as hell.

“How do you take your tea?”

“Plain.”  After a moment, Johnson added, “Thank you.”

“I wouldn’t have been offended if you said no,” Alice told her.

“I was surprised you asked.”

“So was I.”

The silence that descended was again far from uneasy.

Johnson broke it.  “Teaching is an interesting choice.  I would think you would want to be as far away from children as possible.”

“Perhaps you could consider it a genetic flaw.”  Alice sipped her tea.  “But not all of us are able to run away from our pain.”

“No.”

“Has he…never mind. I’d rather not know.”

“If you did, he hasn’t.”

“Mm.”  Finished, Alice took her dishes to the sink.  “Why are you here, Johnson?  Really?  Even if this acquaintance of Dad’s did take an interest, that’s no reason for you to come out of the shadows.”

“I was curious.”  Johnson’s voice was barely audible.

Alice faced her.  “About what?”

“About how you would react.”

She couldn’t help the faint smile that curled her lips.  “I couldn’t very well slam the door in your face as you were on the wrong side of it.”  The smile grew just a bit.  “Not to mention that my arms were full.”

“It didn’t seem…right to disappear and leave you to struggle.”

“No,” Alice tried to fight down the laughter threatening to rise at the absurdity of the situation, “I don’t suppose it would have been.”

Johnson gave a start, then retrieved a phone from one of her many pockets.  “All clear?  Yes, I’ll return shortly.”  Putting the phone away, she stood.  “That was Gwen.  Captain Hart has departed.”

“Oh, that’s good.”  Alice tried not to let her disappointment show.  Oddly, she had started to enjoy Johnson’s…visit.

Nodding once, Johnson started for the door, but hesitated in the kitchen doorway.  “Thank you again.  For the tea.”

Then she was gone.

Alice couldn’t help wishing she’d invited Johnson back.  Ridiculous.  The less she had to do with that world, the better.  Right?


End file.
